Laurent,
Sometime around 1918-1921 Graflex quit stamping the serial number into the lip of the view hood opening and put it on the view hood door behind the top mount of the view hood. The view hood has to be disconnected from the view hood door to clearly see the serial number. It was stamped into the wood at first then stamped in ink later on._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

camz,[b]
Unaware that the backs ever had a flip-down version..(so I am assuming that this one example was installed upside down, or taken apart and re-assembled wrong) All old style "Flip-Up's had side curtains, and it would make no sence to swing them down...
In any event, every Press that I have seen, the pop-up was removable to accept a 5x7 "Bag Mag" I own (2), and repaired 2 other Press cameras several years back....my two have the backs intact...one of the two I repaired had the bag mag!
Have a nice day........Bert

Hi everyone. Further below are images of the back I have. It looks like maybe it came without side curtains? "Flip-down" seems appropriate as a description. The pin at the bottom provides orientation. Also see the shutter curtain. Does this look factory to folks? The rivets are mighty well finished. I assume if the rivets are original, then the tapes are original. Any thoughts?

Last edited by semihemi on Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:07 am; edited 4 times in total

Semi,
The rivets are original, the side tapes are not!
Both of my backs have a Pop-Up door with side shades, just like the spring backs on the old Pre-Ann! The top center of the top spring slips into a vertical slot on the back frame, the bottom spring has a pin that is held in place by a (hidden) slide lever in the bottom of the frame!
Springs / pop-up / and GG are removable from the frame, and a Bag Mag attaches the same way as the spring back!
If you look carefully, you will see that the springs on your back can easily be assembled backwards on your pop-dn back!
Have a nice day..........Bert
Sorry about the link problem
Will send the photos via email to anyone that wants them.....
bsaunders1@bak.rr.com

Last edited by bertsaunders on Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:33 am; edited 1 time in total

Hi Bert - Thanks for the info on the rivets - I hope you can see this image. It looks like the rivets run through the tapes. (A Rivet Ran Through It?) That's why I concluded the tapes were original, as the rivets appear to be.

I took a look at the back. My back removes just as you explain. I see the ease of reversing the back and thus hanging it upside down, but I am not seeing evidence of "bat wings." Also, the back loads from the right as on all my other Graflexes. If it were upside down, wouldn't it load from the left? Any input is most welcome.

Best,
Semi

Last edited by semihemi on Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:05 am; edited 2 times in total

Semi,
From this last photo you sent to me (email), looks like the pop-up may not be spring loaded on your back, so could be a drop-dn, hadnt noticed the fact that your photo shows the back upside down......very strange unconventional setup!
Bert

Finally got the hang of posting photos. Here are the two styles of backs. Bert was kind enough to send the photos of the pop-up back (yellow background). Incidentally it is just the same as the one on my 5x7 Speed. The door is spring loaded to stay up on its own. The other back opens down (hinge at bottom in other words) and just sort of flops open with the help of gravity. I must believe that the pop-up back is later since it clearly represents an improvement in terms of shading the ground glass. The latching system of the pop-up is mutch more sophisticated also. Thank you Bert for the photos!

Can some folks feed back to confirm they are seeing the files and that the light/dark is OK, etc?

Thanks
Semi

Last edited by semihemi on Sat Apr 05, 2008 1:14 pm; edited 2 times in total